Roundtable: 2NE1, Taehyun, and YG

Following Minzy‘s departure, we have another one down, and another one down at YG Entertainment. After announcing that none of the company’s artists would be attending this year’s MAMAs, CEO Yang Hyun-suk dropped a double bombshell by announcing the official disbandment of 2NE1 and the departure of Winner member Taehyun. It was revealed that since May this year, CL and Dara had signed solo contracts, while Bom had elected not to re-sign with the agency. Meanwhile, Taehyun is said to have parted ways with the company over the apparent hindrance his hiatus — taken so that Taehyun could focus on his mental health — was to Winner’s activities. Since the announcement, Dara and Taehyun have reached out to fans in an effort to comfort them.

As we see yet another iconic K-pop group leave the spotlight forever, and another fledgeling group experience a line-up change, we ask: was this the best decision? Will Black Pink ably fill 2NE1’s shoes, or do think there is another group out there that can take up the baton? What will Winner be like without their maknae?

Gaya: YG basically did to 2NE1 what he did to Supearls. He kept the group as an insurance policy in case Lee Hi‘s solo debut was a bust. When she reached monster rookie status, Lee Michelle was turned into a scapegoat and Supearls were out the door. Now with Black Pink out there promoting Teddy songs, and CL’s tour officially ending, there’s simply no need for 2NE1.

At the time of Minzy’s departure, it was reported that the other three had already extended their contracts with YG. Except now we’re hearing something different, mere months later? I don’t think contracts are that short. Either reports of the other members re-signing are a lie, or something happened for Bom to ask to leave, and YG agreed. Personally, I think YG only renewed with CL and Dara, and either he or Bom decided it was best to part ways; they then kept mum until Black Pink had debuted and CL’s tour had finished before informing everyone.

As for Taehyun, did YG even try? At a time when we are seeing more companies and idols be more open about their mental health, YG putting the blame on Taehyun feels like such a regression. I sincerely hope that Taehyun, when he is ready, gets back on Soundcloud and releases the music he wants. I’ve enjoyed his compositions and would love to hear more.

Pat: Honestly, was anyone even surprised with the 2NE1 announcement? YG continues to not give a flying f—, and I’m willing to bet my K-pop collection that he waited until Black Pink showed potential to replace 2NE1 to make it public. No way was he going to announce it while CL had her tour.

Now with Taehyun, I have tons to say. First off, Winner is the first YG group I properly stanned and Taehyun, problematic as he is, he was — is — my bias. A lot of people don’t like him for very obvious reasons, but the boy was my YG baby. As someone who stanned all of the members since Team A, I am torn. Secondly, I hate how YG threw Taehyun under the bus that way by using the mental illness as a reason. The change in Winner’s music will be something I look out for. EXIT: E was basically Taehyun’s showcase. At least the remaining members are self-sufficient. Of course, the self-sufficiency will be worthless when YG has such bad management skills.

Gaya: So it seems even notices about groups and idols being removed from the roster aren’t safe, as the press release announcing this news has since been deleted from YG-Life. I feel like it was done because fans have all noticed the discrepancies between this notice and the one made when Minzy left.

Cjontai: I think the great underlying feeling for a lot of Blackjacks is disappointment. I watched a couple of these reaction videos, and what I got was a lot of them heartbroken because 2NE1 was THE group that got them into K-pop. “I Am The Best” is the first video I ever saw when my friend introduced me to this music. I wasn’t feeling them originally, but as I watched more videos and heard more songs, I became a Blackjack.

They were my first girl group bias. They were the first for a lot of fans. When you think of it from that perspective, it’s somewhat disheartening to realize it’s over. It’s not that nobody saw it coming, but that fans hoped for a brighter ending than what they got. A group of their status deserved a farewell tour or something. Instead, all we’re getting is apologetic letters, and it’s just sad. I can’t blame fans for wishing they had gotten a proper send-off.

As for the Winner debacle, I gave up on YG probably sometime after WIN‘s finale. The jokes about delayed timelines turned into a glaring display of mismanagement as their debut got pushed back. All the while, guess who gets positioned as the scapegoat for those delays? I held a glimmer of hope when they put Taehyun on hiatus, but now it’s almost like they’re insinuating his illness was a hindrance to the success of Winner.

Taehyun was an artist under the YG label. He was never in charge of marketing, scheduling, fan meetings, or anything related to Winner’s promotion outside of composing tracks, which he did despite struggling with his mental condition. Implying that his mental state somehow held the group back is both enraging and deplorable.

Winner had all the potential to be groundbreaking, but therein lay the issue. YG only broke ground by introducing them through a competition show. They laid a foundation, and then put up a sign that said, “COMING SOON”. After that, plans stalled. Winner became the skeletal remains of an unfinished construction site. Fans were like, what the actual hell? Why can’t you commit to a deadline? Why tell us something is ready when you have little to nothing completed?

YG has lost who they once were. They won’t listen to fans. They’re producing music that now sounds outdated when they used to be at the forefront of setting trends. The fresh roster of talent they do get, they allow to rot behind the scenes between scarce promotions. I don’t understand what is happening internally in that company, but they need to fix it fast because TOP is enlisting in February, and you can’t milk a cow once it’s hamburger.

Qing: As a non-fan of 2NE1, I don’t feel things with the same intensity as Blackjacks, but I can fully empathise with them. If there was any surprise or shock at the announcement, it definitely has to do more with the utterly dishonest and disrespectful way the company handled the disbandment, rather than the fact of disbandment itself.

It’s true that fans and non-fans alike know better than to trust YG’s words at this point. But as Cjontai said, I think a part of us, knowing that this legendary group was nearing its end, still clung on to the hope that they would at least get one last comeback, or even just a fanmeeting, to provide proper closure for the members and fans. During the whole period of the group’s inactivity, it was still possible to crack jokes about how horrible the management has become. But with this final breach of trust, no amount of wry humour can temper the bitterness of how crudely the disbandment was handled. And I think that’s what hurt fans the most.

I don’t know enough about Taehyun or Winner to add anything fruitful, but I’d like to shift the 2NE1 discussion on to an appraisal of their contributions. Will there be another group that can fill 2NE1’s shoes? No, it’s not possible, because the K-pop scene has changed so much since 2009, there isn’t going to be a time and circumstance to produce another 2NE1. And a great part of these changes was brought by 2NE1 themselves, and, to give credit where due, YG’s planning (before it all went downhill).

Those who have been following K-pop pre-2009 will remember this landmark year—not just for producing the viral hits that are SNSD‘s “Gee” and Super Junior‘s “Sorry Sorry” or bringing the debut of Beast—but also because it was the year of remarkable girl group debuts. After School, 2NE1, 4Minute, f(x), Secret, and Rainbow all debuted in this year (to be honest I hated “Gossip Girl”, but I like Rainbow so I’m keeping them on the list). The thing about these groups is that they came at a time when there weren’t many girl groups, and when the ones around were mostly stuck in the cute/sexy binary.

Then 2NE1 broke onto the scene, shattering that mould by embodying and projecting female independence and confidence. It wasn’t a simple matter of being different and refreshing; it was about speaking up and for women, reaching out to a very important facet of identity, that gained the hearts and admiration of fans and non-fans alike. It was okay to be gentle and demure as a woman, but now it was okay to be cool and confident, too. You could dislike their music and image, but you couldn’t deny the influence the group had in shaping the scene for the better. They were part of what made hoobaes like miss A, Mamamoo, Black Pink, and other girl groups riding on the image of female independence and sass even possible to be around. For this much, I will always appreciate and respect 2NE1, and YG’s foresight at the time.

Gaya: If there’s one thing fans hate more than being mistreated, it’s seeing their faves being mistreated. From the letters written by Dara, CL, and Bom, it seems they were as blindsided by the announcement as everyone else, and that has made fans even angrier on their behalf. And with the press release about 2NE1 (and Taehyun) vanishing from YGs website, suspicions as to YG’s motives are definitely being aroused, though if anything will come out of it remains to be seen.

There will never be another 2NE1, but I hope that we see more girl groups who do go down the path they forged, like those Qing mentioned, as well as Sol-T, Bulldok, and more.

Lorenza: Like many people, 2NE1 was my first girl group. They were more hard hitting, more independent, and projected an image that looked more like the woman I wanted to be. They were revolutionary in many ways and seeing the mistreatment from their management just feels like a slap in the face. Blackjacks didn’t deserve that and the members definitely didn’t. I was heartbroken, but not even remotely surprised, when they announced the disbandment.

YG’s management has been a mess for years. It’s frustrating since they’re a company that used to consistently put out music that so many really loved. Now, now it feels like if it’s not Big Bang, YG doesn’t really care. Even then, YG hasn’t managed BigBang’s career very well in recent years either. I’m worried what will happen to groups like iKon and Black Pink once YG gets bored of them. Are they going to be put in the dungeon, forgotten until their fanbases dwindle to the point where even if they had a comeback they’d be successful? He’s already doing it with Winner. I wouldn’t be surprised if he does it again.

I hate that he threw Taehyun under the bus. I hate how it feels like it wasn’t a mutually beneficial decision. I wasn’t surprised by the news of Taehyun’s departure, but it was disrespectful to Taehyun, Winner, and all Incles. It feels like Winner really can’t win with YG. Their music is a departure from the same old stuff YG has been putting out and the fact that YG isn’t investing more into them is yet another example of the company’s internal (and now external) mess.

Brief note: I saw some hate on Park Bom for being the reason for 2ne1’s disbandment. I can’t even begin to express how angry that makes me. All the events after the announcement clearly point that the blame doesn’t lie with the members, and especially with just one member. Bom is an easy target because of her past scandals, but that isn’t fair. YG did whatever he could to keep G-Dragon from going down because of his scandals, and now GD is one of the most well known idols in the world. If he wanted, he could have done the same for 2ne1. If we’re going to play the blame game, then fine, let’s blame the piss-poor management. In the end, everyone’s still angry and hurt and YG is still terrible at managing his artist’s careers.

Mark: I get why people are mad about the things coming out of YG’s mouth but are these really bad decisions or, as some of us have put it, ‘mismanagement’? Did we really envision 2NE1 promoting without Minzy or finding someone to replace her? It just wouldn’t be the same and, more importantly, it just wouldn’t make sense when thinking about opportunity cost. Spending money on another 2NE1 comeback comes at the cost of spending that money and time on another group that may have a higher rate of return. Another 2NE1 comeback could mean either a delay in the future comebacks of Big Bang, iKON, Winner, or Black Pink.

When we speak of ‘dungeons’ it’s only because SM, JYP, and YG have so many acts to manage and they can’t all promote at the same time. And most of the time it’s the more established groups that get ‘dungeoned’ because more money and time is needed to invest in the fledgling groups. In the case of 2NE1, why spend money satisfying an older and dwindling fanbase that’s more likely to download a digital single for $1 per comeback when that money can be spent on gaining a younger and more rabid fanbase that’s more likely to buy a $20 album with each comeback.

It’s also important to understand that 2NE1 is not a boy group and that it shouldn’t be held under boy group expectations. When was the last time a girl group held a goodbye tour or a farewell fanmeet? Not 4Minute, Kara, or Secret, that’s for sure. Girl groups tend to disband unceremoniously because there’s no incentive to continue promoting a girl group towards the end of their contract. The primary reason to promote a girl group in the first place is to get the members in demand to win endorsements. That incentive is lost when the members don’t have a future with the company. Again, it’s because money can be better spent elsewhere.

Camiele: What we’re talking about here is willful negligence. It’s not mismanagement as in, “Whoops, I forgot.” Mismanagement as in, “Look, I don’t care.” This is a man who’s gone on record as saying his goal was to recreate Seo Taiji & Boys. To relive the glory days of his own time in the spotlight through another group. Big Bang was and remains his only actual priority, and nowadays only tangentially.

You can’t expect a group to flourish or make money if you have no desire to promote them or put them in a position to make money in the first place. This idea that you have too many artists to take care of is a load of bull to me. If you don’t have the money, time, or resources to house and nurture all your artists, then stop taking in so many damn artists! It’s simple. You don’t want to the responsibility of making sure a child is nurtured, raised, and given the best opportunity for survival, then don’t have a baby (or let said child go early enough that you don’t fall into a pattern of abuse and neglect that completely stunts child’s development).

Point-blank: take responsibility for your shit. You created a group, then through a simple lack of interest let it die off. It’s childish: get you a brand new toy, and then when you’re bored of it just toss it in the middle of the floor.

I’ll only touch briefly on the inherent sexism in the previous comment, because honestly from my perspective women aren’t respected in most societies, so why should anyone expect otherwise in the microcosm of the idol industry? The fact remains most groups don’t actually have a farewell anything as far as I know. Given how YG makes it plain he has no time or even a seeming modicum of respect for women in actions and words, it probably wouldn’t have surprised most if they weren’t promised otherwise.

What’s more disturbing than his hate for women, however, is his now obvious disdain for those with mental health issues. I had little respect for YG for many reasons, but whatever ounce of it I had disappeared like so much dust in the wind when he used Taehyun’s mental and emotional health as a scapegoat. Honestly, it was too good an opportunity to pass up: a group he openly didn’t care for from the start is totally ignored (because he wants the second coming of Big Bang but audiences wanted something different), but fans are actually pissed off now. So what does he do? He takes a kid with apparent controversy around him and uses him as a sacrificial lamb. Two birds, one stone. Get rid of an apparent problem and still get your way. It’s disgusting.

That’s about it from us. What about you readers? How do you feel about YG Entertainment after the announcements? Did the 2NE1 disbandment surprise you? What do you think will be the impact of Taehyun leaving Winner? Sound out in the comments below!

when TOP had mental issues, YG didn’t do this.
when Daesung had mental issues, YG didn’t do this.
So I don’t understand why he did this with taehyun, what did he do? I am starting to think he didn’t even have mental issues. YG just needed a reason for why he was leaving winner.

Question: why did the rest of winner stay? they were all pretty vocal about yg’s management this comeback and this was an opportunity to leave so why did they stay, I guess because all of them have jobs now. Or maybe taehyun blamed himself for it all, he did the same thing for EXIT:E’s underperformance.

I think and will as go far as to say that both he and bom were fired, but I don’t necessarily think it was his idea. Investors play a key role when it comes to these things. whenever someone leaves sm, they take a hit.

but not once has anyone left yg and their has been an impact, even with minzy and especially with 2ne1 or taehyun. I doubt he has lost any money from this. hell, daesung is going on a dome tour next year which will make up for all of this.

YG never cared about winner and he definitely never cared about 2ne1. They were barely promoted compared to big bang. but then again big bang was the template for 2ne1.

I am also sick and tired of people undermining what bom did, the drug bom was caught with was amphetamines, something which is illegal in several countries and is considered one of the most dangerous here in the U.S mostly because of its similar items to meth.

YG could not save her career but let’s act like he didn’t try. there is a reason people suspect he covered up for her and messed with the investigation.

you know what he did with GD: 3 things. apologize, had GD apologize and took him away from a couple of months.

truth be told, all kpop acts are just glorified products who all have an expiration date, let’s stop being naive here. 2ne1 was by far yg’s most produced group meaning they were made like any other idol group and sung songs by another artist.

they may have “been” unique, but as I remember isn’t that what we said about Fx, and when they lost their 5th member due to the same thing that taehyun was out, sm replaced their asses that same month with red velvet.

To this day, people still blame sulli for red light promotions and when she left sm solidfied that by having fx comeback 2 months later. when snsd disband, sm will make another one again and I doubt anyone would notice.

This is the way kpop works, the factory where these groups are made can always make another when they need to and yg is no exception.

There is only one group YG can never make again and that’s big bang, because he didn’t make them, he helped them.

All in all, yg will take no hits from this and the sad truth is 2ne1 just wasn’t needed anymore, if I had a heart, I would have kept them but after the public outrage at the mama last year and the fact that bom’s name is still mud to many, not to mention she is the main reason YG is called a pharmacy.

My mind would have done what was best for the company’s interests.

mxc9219

I agree with you about Taehyun. I’m really sure he did something wrong and mental issues weren’t the real reason for his departure. YG protected Bom and GD from their drug scandals (it’s funny for me how nobody remembers now that last year Bom was at MAMAs and that made netizens went crazy, she received tons of hate, yet YG did it, he also personally wrote a letter shielding Bom when she did something wrong, let’s be honest) they also were there for Seven when he was released from army after his scandal (which is still a big issue) even though he wasn’t from the company anymore. Mino had scandals too and he wasn’t kicked out. Pretending that Taehyun was kicked out just because his mental issue is bullsh1t. You have to be naive to think that. Something had to happen.
At the same time, all of this missmangement issue people is talking about with Winner… AKMU and Lee Hi didn’t have a comeback for long time neither and I don’t see these people mentioning that. So, this is not something personal against Winner, YG can’t handle all of their current acts.That’s just a company problem.
But, what did you (to the people who wrote the article) expect from 2NE1 after Minzy left? With Twice and IOI (and I don’t like them so trust me it hurts me to say this) they would have been overshadowed. Especially without Minzy that was their most outstanding member. I can’t imagine 2NE1 without her. Their comeback would have been a very risky and, probably, long term thing. I’m sorry 2NE1 had to farewell Kpop like that… but hey, have you seen how Pledis is treating After School, another iconic group, and nobody is giving a f*ck?
Just like Ninblu said, Kpop acts can be easily replaced and people eventually forgets about them. It’s sad but it works like that.
And if YG treat Big Bang so well it’s because they f*cuking deserved. I’ve met a few non Kpop fans and they don’t really know much about others kpop groups but all of them have heard of Big Bang and know who is G-dragon, so why YG wouldn’t treat them well? SM treats Super Junior like crap and bias rookie groups along with Taeyeon I don’t see anyone complaining (except ELFs of course).
Recently YG is getting all the hate but a few years ago people were saying JYP shouldn’t be considered a big company anymore and SM didn’t have a pleasant 2014. Now it’s YG. They also were somehow touched by this year political scandal (which wasn’t addressed on this article). They will overcome this. I think people is furious because their favorite group is disbanding, and honestly, I will probably be like that if they were my biases, but since they aren’t I try to see things as objetive as possible.
I like YG artists and Winner is one of my favorite along with Lee Hi, but I stan a group from a small company (my bias group) and I wish their company will treat them like YG treats Winner because this company is 10 times worse than YG. So I think everybody needs to calm down. 2NE1 was disbanded, something we all see coming don’t be ridiculous, and Taehyun left Winner, which sucks but isn’t the end neither. Hopefully he will come back and, maybe then, fans will understand how hard is for artists who are from small companies (if Taehyun ends in a small one, of course) and will stop fussing over everysingle decision YG makes. Because despite said decisions you all hate so much I don’t see YG Artists losing popularity or not winning awards ( awards that forgive me sometimes they don’t even deserve anyway). He has tons of acts when he originally hadn’t we have to expect he will be bias and he will screw up things. Let’s be real and stop pretending like he’s conspìring against his own company.

A number of our writers have noted that it’s not the fact that 2NE1 is disbanding is shocking, but the way it’s been handled.

mxc9219

I’m sorry, but let me disagree a bit with you: “YG basically did to 2NE1 what he did to Supearls”, “Now with Black Pink out there promoting Teddy songs, and CL’s tour officially ending, there’s simply no need for 2NE1”, “Honestly, was anyone even surprised with the 2NE1 announcement? YG continues to not give a flying f—”, ” I think the great underlying feeling for a lot of Blackjacks is disappointment. I watched a couple of these reaction videos, and what I got was a lot of them heartbroken because 2NE1 was THE group that got them into K-pop.” “A group of their status deserved a farewell tour or something”, “: I saw some hate on Park Bom for being the reason for 2ne1’s disbandment. I can’t even begin to express how angry that makes me. ” ” YG did whatever he could to keep G-Dragon from going down because of his scandals, and now GD is one of the most well known idols in the world.” “This is a man who’s gone on record as saying his goal was to recreate Seo Taiji & Boys. To relive the glory days of his own time in the spotlight through another group. Big Bang was and remains his only actual priority, and nowadays only tangentially.” <<<< those are not arguments or opinions about why or how YG ended 2NE1 like that, is people whining about 2NE1 being disbanded and going against other artists of the company or YG, the man. That's why I left my own comment expressing my own opinon over the facts. You were demanding something else before being disbading and I'm explaining to you why that would have been risky for 2NE1 and YG c:

I think people, especially fans of the group, are perfectly within their rights to feel sad about 2NE1 disbanding, given their impact on a number of people, I don’t think it’s entirely fair to call reactions to news of the disbandment (no matter how expected) whining, but that’s just my opinion.

If you and others feel that the criticism of YG with regards to the disbandment is unfair, I don’t think that’s an invalid view, and is not what my original comment was about at all. The only purpose of my comment was to say that news of 2NE1’s disbandment was not unexpected, but the events surrounding it were.

Essentially I think we agree on the fact that the disbandment was an expected event, but disagree on whether the actual event was handled well or not. It was only the first point I was seeking to clarify; on the second point, with the lack of information and theories flying around, it’s always good to read different viewpoints, so I appreciate your original comment for providing that perspective.

viki32

a lot of things you wrote was interesting — but “He has tons of acts when he originally hadn’t we have to expect he will be bias and he will screw up things. Let’s be real and stop pretending like he’s conspìring against his own company.” – just because everyone is bound to make mistakes (like YG the company can make mistake especially on the communication department as pointed by ddttbb in the other comment), it doesn’t mean people (fans) cannot talk (and criticize) about their frustration about how things are handled [tho i don’t know about that “conspiring against his own company” talk comes from”].

mxc9219

I never said they couldn’t criticize just that (some) fans overreact about everything, that’s what I meant. They don’t have to be happy with everything they do, but complaining about everysingle thing is too much.
I wrote that conspiring part because many people, I really mean that many part, are writting nowadays that YG ruined this artist, ruined this group, ruined this, ruined that… like do you really think that YG is doing those things unporpose? They will eventually scew up things, that can’t be help. I don’t believe YG mean wrong, and just like someone pointed out someone in comments section he’s not 100% in charge of every company decision, there are other people too.
I really respect YG because in the past he protected GD and Bom while SM and JYP would have probably kicked them out or sending to army (I’m saying this basing on Day6, 2PM, and Super Junior’s experiences). And I bring SM y JYP because they’re big companies and I think we all fans have the right to expect these big companies to treat their artists the best way possible, and not like money machines. Of course there’s always a limit.

viki32

okay then, fair enough. the boundary between what is considered ‘overreacting’ and what is considered ‘criticizing’ is rather unclear sometimes.

and of course, YG is not Yang Hyun Suk only, I totally get that. He’s just the face that people know. just like Lee Soo Man got cursed when each and every single bad thing happens to one of idols under SM, Yang Hyun Suk will be the easy target (tho sometimes, i get where the complaints about him being bias come from – because it’s often shown on his public statement or idols’ claim about what he told them to do and not to do).

but i got your point in general. in a ruthless world like k-entertainment industry (and k-pop specifically), idols will be replaced by other idols. and those who is directly involved in their own creative production will likely be the ones who can survive the longest (but still, i don’t understand what happens to WINNER).

Shinnokina

people talk like Papa YG is a decisionmaker. Come on, he is a figurehead. do you seriously think he personally chooses disbandment dates and “protects” idols and stuff? YG is a pretty huge company with high level managers and a CEO (who is not Papa YG, he is the main shareholder…)

mxc9219

Right, he didn’t personally wrote a letter defending Park Bom. I dreamed about that.

Tiffer Nguyen

the only people “undermining” what bom did are international fans, knetz rip into her and will never forgive her for that scandal. But also amphetamines are legal in the states with a prescription, no matter how controversial you think it is it’s legal with prescription and supposedly she had legal medical papers from her US physician to take these pills for her ptsd and depression. It might be something hard to grasp for koreans where their drug laws are very strict but she wasn’t punished for what she did because she had the proof that she was taking them with a prescription and obtained them legally.

Ninblu

they are legal but they are dangerous.

namita sankar

Yes, but it was her ‘medication’. It’s pretty weird to think that Koreans cannot grasp that fact. She had to take meds to keep her happy, and that made them angry. They should’ve been sorry that only such a strong drug could keep her sane.

Shinnokina

there are a lot of legal dangerous drugs. Alcohol, for example..

ddttbb

This is a long explanation but hopefully this will help the fans to see matters in a broader sense and not get short sighted.

1. YG Entertainment (YGE) is a public company, with dozens of investors on each of its dozens of sub division, hundreds of employees and 7 major share holders. Such company does not have its CEOs running around meddling on micro management and deciding things out of personal preference. The ones who holds the power are actually the share holders and investors.

2. Guess what, Yang Hyun Suk is not even the CEO contrary to the public knowledge. He is the biggest share holder of the company, but only at around 19%. Meaning, he doesn’t have executive power (the CEO does) and even as a share holder he is still out bided by the other 81% if they don’t agree with him.

3. So, YG as a person is really not THAT powerful so that his words and personal desires could be the beginning and the end of every matter in the company. And no CEO of any public company has that kind of power.

4. Therefore, lets see things from the share holders and investors point of view, since now we understand that those are the power lies within the company. Share holders and investors see things from financial point of view. They check the balance, and when its profitable, they’re happy. If artists can generate revenues, they’ll be happy.

5. YGE’s profit margin through the years has been the best out of the big 3 companies. With percentages usually at twice as much compared to the other two. I think this is due to their main incomes coming from live concerts. Because through concerts, the company earn cash immediately since fans are paying for tickets in advance. And in addition to that, the company also could potentially earn sponsorships, merchandise sales and dvd sales. While releasing albums would require spending huge cash in advance, even more with producing physical albums (something that SM does a lot, but could also be the reason behind their 2.4 bio deficit). More cash income, better cash flow, healthier company, happier investors.

6. With this perspective, artists that are not available to do concerts or won’t potentially do well in filling up concert venues would not be considered as good investments by the company. Which would explain how Taehyun, Bom and Minzy does not match with how things work. This could also explain why YGE’s stock value has been reacting positively to these sad news. Because it is considered as much needed business decisions by the share holders.

7. Can YGE “keep” Taehyun, Bom and Minzy? Of course they can, but if these artists are inactive, they are not earning anything. Yang Hyun Suk mentioned this as well earlier this year, that he feels the responsibility to push the artists to work because if not, they wont earn anything. With this in mind, I feel that YGE’s decision to release the artists from the contracts is actually, in a way, giving them the freedom to pursue other opportunities.

8. Can the management team (whoever the person is) do a better communication with their artists? Absolutely, judging how it seems that Dara, CL and Bom are just as taken aback as the fans about the news. But, that’s another discussion I don’t have enough information to start discussing just yet.

9. To me, the main problem is in the corporate communication team who has been so unreliable in releasing statements and news. Causing much confusion and blind assumptions by letting various sources from the company (Yang Hyun Suk, the artists, “sources”, etc) giving away statements, hints, promises etc. For a company as big as YGE, such things should only come from one spokesperson or one official team. But it could also be a case of lost on translations. Something that could easily be managed by releasing statements in both Korean and English. I wonder if the communication is handled by an in house team or by an agency. That would be a team I’d disband…

severely

For #2/3: when people say “YG” I really don’t think most people mean “Yang Hyun Suk is personally and directly responsible for this.” It’s short-hand for “whoever is responsible for this shit at the company, YG Entertainment.”

ddttbb

the comment is referring to this article where YG is repeatedly referred to as “he”, “him”, “his” :)

severely

Probably because saying “he or she” every time for the unknown gender of the staff that’s responsible is cumbersome and unnatural to read. It’s a pretty common writing technique to pick a pronoun and go with it. (And also, iirc, most of YG’s managers are male, so “he” is more likely than not the correct pronoun for the staff member who would be making these decisions.)

Shinnokina

no it is not a pretty common writing technique to pick random pronouns. if you mean the company, use IT, that is the pronoun for an organisation.

namita sankar

While I agree with most of your points. I would like to point out that the very reason that Minzy, Bom and Taehyun are now considered useless for the profits is YG’s own fault. All three are great artists, have large fans following, and honestly would do much better than the person they are pushing for right now. The problem was that YG played their ‘quality over quantity’ motto too strong. Great artists aren’t born overnight, they are born with experience. All YG ever did was give one team/artist all the resources and keep the rest in the dark. Their favoritism is too obvious. Also, their public relations team sucks, and scream unprofessional to me. They keep using the same teaser (Who is next/coming soon) again and again, to the point where seeing the poster is frustrating, because we know it’s not who we want at all. Plus, lost in translation or not, it still seems like the girls were caught off guard with the decision. Plus artists have been more vocal about the mismanagement in YG. Also, why is Taehyun the one that is pulled out? I mean, isn’t the whole of winner is just as useless in their eyes? Taehyun was the one artist in YG with a totally different style in composing. If they had played on his strengths, he would’ve been the best in the industry, same goes for Winner as a whole and Minzy.

takeitallaway

Bom is hated. Before the scandal I would have given you she has huge following but after the scandal those numbers dwindled. The 2ne1 fandom (at least SK wise) is almost non-existent. Minzy (alone) has the least fans ever proven by her leaving YG holding a fanmeet with only 40 people in attendance. She was necer profitable as a standalone which is why she got no solo gigs during the hiatus.

Taehyun I can give you since Winner does have a substantial fandom but with news of him dating many of his own fanpages turned against him so.

namita sankar

Well…again…the only reason Minzy didn’t get the following she deserved was because YG didn’t promote her properly. She is a great dancer, has a good voice and stage presence. In fact, she would’ve been a better choice for a solo that CL, whose songs I really do not enjoy much. Park Bom is hated I know, but so is GD. The only reason GD is so popular even now is because YG played their cards right. The fact that he is male also played a huge factor. But then look at how GD was treated. Even now his past scandals keep getting brought up. No one has forgotten his mistakes, but just the focus has shifted to his career. If, instead of just pushing Bom into the dungeon, they had given her a small break, and then just put her right back people would’ve gone past this mess. If she had been given a chance to explain herself. But no, YG shut 2ne1 down. SNSD Tiffany’s scandal was no joke either, people cursed her to hell, but she is still around. Slowly SM is pumping her back into the business. Being the Big 3, the company does hold a lot of power, and I still firmly believe that if YGEnt had tried, Bom could’ve been ‘useful for profits’ esp since her solos did so well, and her voice is really unique. There are new idols being pumped into the industry constantly, to expect fans to stick around and not just go for the next best thing is delusional. What the company did was foolish, they didn’t make use of their resources when they could and now the just complain.
Taehyung was done dirty. There is no excuse for YG for him. He was sick, and they very conveniently used that against him. I won’t be surprised if it turns out that taehyung left of his own will because he was just done with YG ruining people’s lives. In fact I remember Winner comment ti newcomers not to join YG because they have too much on their plates already.

takeitallaway

YGe isn’t gonna invest in someone who’s not marketable and Minzy isn’t people can talk about her vocals and dance all they want she’s just not marketable. Talent alone is not what gets you places. And her having presncr yes comparedd to Bom and Dara she does but that’s about it. Put her next to CLs Hyunas Hyoris etc. of the kpop world and she looks as interesting as wet pain drying.

You know why CL got a solo, because she showed YGe she has potential. She put herself out there, put in the hours, made her own connections, got her name out there got people interested and YGe finally realized they can do something with her. And you disliking her songs is fine fact is next to Hyuna and Taeyeon she has the best record when it comes to female soloists (from groups).

GD is not 1% as hated as Bom what are you on about? Yes people mention his weed scandal from time to time but GD’s fandom together with his work and hits he makes that the general audience eats up together with how relevant workd wide he is makes him SK’s no.1 star. Bom is nor ever was anywhere near GD and also GD’s weed scandal is nowhere as serious or grave as Bom’s.

The fact that GD is doing well after the scandal is yes in part thanks to him being male not thanks to YG. It’s a known fact fangirls of male groups will protect their faves better than fans of female groups can or will. Is that fucked up yes but it’s not an isolated case with GD and Bom it’s the entire industry.

No one has forgotten GD’s fuck ups but also GD’s fans and BigBang fans are enteties compared to Bom and 21.

People would not have gotten past Bom’s scandal. Do you not understand the severity of it. She knowingly brought illegal substance into the country. Then it was covered up by paying off not only journalists but police officials and politicians. GD smoked a blunt in Japan and the shit was out a few months after. It wasn’t buried with the help of officials for 4 years.

How do you know Bom would have wanted to explain what happened herself?

Again Tiffany’s scandal is not her knowingly committing a crime it’s her fucking up with the rising sun flag. A scandal that happened to plenty of idols who bounced back from it. It’s like you’re asking why someone who committed a 3rd degree murder isn’t given the same sentence as someone who shoplifted. Apples and oranges.

Again how do you know Bom maybe herself didn’t want to be back in the spotlight doing anything until recently? Knowing how Bom reacts to criticism I’d bet she was the one who didn’t wanna speak out or come back until she felt it was ok.

Again you don’t know what happened behind closed doors. How do you know Taehyun didn’t choose to leave himself. Boy has been unfollowing his own group members months before this announcement was made. His own Korean fansites turned against him, why would a fansite do that unless something went down? I’m not claiming he doesn’t have anxiety and some type of issues but let’s not. How did YGe do him dirty out of all Winner members he got the most opportunities. He got solo on the first album, he got dramas, variety, solos and duets during comeback and he was the main figure in Winner’s music. YGe used most of his compositions for Winner. Yes Winner’s hiatus was long but he was one of the members who worked the most, Jinwoo and especially Seunghoon got almost no solo gigs so if we were talking about them I’d get it but c’mon Taheyun got a lot. Plus Yge stuck by him during his acting reviews, behavior rumors, and dating scandals and even with his mental illness. Let’s not

namita sankar

Its a company’s job. To make their assets assests. Bom and Minzy were under YG. They signed a contract with them. They were supposed to be made to work. It doesn’t matter. In 2ne1, Dara was the pretty one, she wasn’t really a strong performer. But YG stuck with her and helped her out. Let me tell you something. YG isn’t some ordinary company. It is one of the most powerful entertainment companies in SK. Fine, lets leave GD and Tiffany (I was here for both the scandals, and really I found Tiffany’s much scarier) out of it…(btw, weed and marijuana are different)…his case is different. Bom was under medication. The reason why she didn’t get sent to jail was because she proved in court that she was ‘prescribed’ those ‘illegal stuff’. She was SICK, it is majorly different. YG has always promoted the warm ‘we are a family’ motto, which obviously shattered.
If Papa YG cannot take proper care of the sick kids, then why does he call himself that?
Maybe Taehyun did chose to leave on his own, I did mention did in the previous reply. Maybe you didn’t read it. But that doesn’t hide the fact that he was also SICK, and the company had put him on hiatus after announcing so (and blaming him indirectly, if you know how to read between the lines). Same for the issue now. Maybe he left on his own, maybe he was kicked out. I don’t know, I am not in YG. I just feel bad that in a dynamic industry like k-pop, where timing matters, winner lost out because of their shitty company’s over played motto, which is just starting to sound like an excuse now.
Also : “…Bom’s single “You and I” took the number one spot on the Gaon Chart for the month of November[citation needed] and eventually won Best Digital Single at the 2010 Mnet Asian Music Awards. By the end of 2011 it was reported that the single was downloaded 4,483,364 times, becoming one of the best-selling singles in Korean music history…” this is from wikipedia. I didn’t see anything like this for CL’s solo (sans lifted). And “…In a statement issued by YG Entertainment’s Yang Hyun-suk he spoke against the allegations of preferential treatment. He explained the drug in questions was in fact illegal in South Korea for its amphetamine component but legal in the United States; and what had occurred was an honest mistake of one being ignorant of medication formulation and laws related to illegal components. He further explained Park Bom sought out medical care from South Korean physicians and was prescribed therapy which had not been as effective as when she was in the United States. As she was unable to travel to the US during that time due to her busy schedule as a 2NE1 member, she contacted her US physician to address her concerns and had previous treatment therapy refilled. In 2010, at the time of investigation, she had provided to the prosecutor her medical records from her US hospital confirming her diagnoses as well as ongoing mental health treatment plan, supposedly for PTSD, depression and ADD…”
Also, I don’t know Bom personally, so I don’t how strong she is mentally. But it still is a fact that YG could’ve done so much more than just write her off. Minzy though is someone with tons of potential. YG has a tendency to play favorites, he does it with all his artists, and so CL was an obvious choice. CL was able to put herself out there because YG created opportunities for her to. Let me tell you again, YG IS A HUGE POWERHOUSE IN SK ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. You saw how the last years MAMA were a mess because of YG-bias. And let me tell you this. YG has a huge fan following, and more casual listeners. Minzy’s solo would’ve have done just as well as CL’s given the right choice and timing. IT is a fact that YG just didn’t do enough. Plus wasn’t their first motto ‘Talent over looks’? which proves Minzy is super talented, she was hailed as one of the best dancers, better than CL even, but they didn’t play on that and she had a decent voice too. they didn’t play on that. An idol from the big3 is bound to do well, and blackjacks would’ve supported her too.

takeitallaway

They didn’t need to make them assets since they already were assets in the group. They invested in Bom prior to scandal with all the solos and featurings, because she had fans and public liked her voice. Minzy wasn’t such a case so they never bothered. She also never showed initiative and expected to be handed solos. Bom and Dara had fans prior to debut and were popular thus earning solo gigs off the bat. CL worked her ass off and proved she can be of worth, while Minzy did nothing. Why would company invest into something from which they didn’t expect any profit?
I’m no Dara fan but fac it she was popular for her face so YGe used it to make profit. It didn’t take any real effort because she already had popularity. Same with Bom who had fans pre debut and people loved her voice thus again no effort was needed. Hell Bom never promoted her solos and she still sold. Only thing YGe spent money on there was MVs. That’s it. And they got hella profit.
Bom’s prescription (regardless what for) was invalid and illegal in SK it was only valid in the US what do you not understand? It didn’t matter she was prescribed cause in SK that prescription held bo water. What she did was a crime and illegal and she did it knowingly.
No one is denying YGe’s management sucking when it comes to music release. Trust me I know I’ve been waiting for CL for 2 years, I’ve been waiting for BigBang (group and solo) for 2 years and I’ve been waiting for iKON for over a year now.
I know how successful Bom’s solos were. I wasn’t mentioning her because her last solo was years ago. No other female artist (from a group) managed to creat buzz chart or sell as well as Hyuna Taeyeon and CL (maybe Gain and Sunmi too) all the rest flopped and made no difference. Bom’s solos were strictly digital not promoted and she killed it.
I also know entire Bom’s scandal. No one can tell me Bom didn’t know about those drugs being illegal in SK when she had them disguised as something other than pills so she could get them meaning she knew they were illega and she and her family still did ot regardless.
If she truly didn’t know the pills would have been sent and marked as such the customs would have seen it straight away (they wouldn’t have found them disguised as candy) she would have been summoned she would have said I didn’t know but she didn’t.
Also interesting how you buy the YG story about trauma but not any other explanation he gives like why Taehyun left or why Bom left but conveniently the story that “clears” Bom is believable even tho it was proven to be false by her fans nonetheless.
Again I don’t see how he wrote her off. YG the person is not in charge of the company he owns 18% of shares and is not the CEO. He did far more to shield her than he did to shield GD.
You also seem to not know how powerful Bom’s family is she’s basically a daughter of a chaebol so having US doctors confirm she has a trauma by paying them off wouldn’t br far fetched (not saying they did). There were many factors involved in that situation and there was no way to play it any better once cat was out of the bag. Shareholders deciding Bom was no longer profitable and not extending the contract with her would be a business move.
Explain to me exactly how YGe/YG played favorites with CL when it took them 4 years to give het solo and only after she expanded her conections started getting noticed by foreign media and basically spending all her free time in the studio woth producers learning the ropes. If CL was a favorite why didn’t she get a solo from the get go? CL got offers by US producers in the beginning of 2ne1’s career and yet YGe gave no shit about it and despite her talent treated her as the ugly step-child while the popular pretty ones got solos and attention.
YGe/YG created no opportunities for her, CL found her own connections mostly theough her friendship with Jeremy. Started getting noticed for her fashion (was one of the first idols even before GD to go to the fashion shows, meet designers hell CL made Virgil Abloh popular in SK idol world she was the first one to wear his pieces). Once she started meeting new influential people and spending time in the studio YG/YGe decided to give her some attention and despite her making her own songs still gave her a Teddy track song which was so out of the mainstream taste that her doing ss well as she did (charting high, getting allkills and foreign media attention via bloggers) was a miracle. Her song had no hook or melody a strong hip hop beat and racy lyrics not done by a female idol up until then.
You’re still talking about how blackjacks would have supported her when blackjacks didn’t support CL in 2013 how would have they supported Minzy who had one fansite to her name. Girl had 40 people come to her recent fanmeet???? She didn’t have fans blackjacks (esp Korean) are mostly Bom and Dara fans who gave no shit about CL or Minzy. CL however started getting a bigger fandom 2012 onwards which is what helped get her where she is now. Blackjacks were making petitions to give CL’s ILY high note to Bom, they campaigned with people to not vote for CL during 2013 MAMA awards and generally hated her 2013 onwards.
I’ve seen too many things since 2010 for anyone to come here and talk to me about how blackjacks would have supported anyone other than Bom and Dara.

namita sankar

I am not from YG. I do not know shit that goes down behind the doors. But still, thank you for enlightening about the dark side of truth. Always thankful for YG-delulus for opening new doors of perception for me. Thank you for pretending to read my comments. Makes me feel absolutely blessed to have wasted my time typing it. Have a good, tunnel visioned, life ahead. I do hope that you can reach the answers for your queries above yourself, since I am just too tired in a bad enough mood to type. I am sorry for trying to express my opinion and distaste in the way the company managed people I loved the most in the group. I am sorry that I have more faith in the artists than in the company. I am sorry that I refuse to believe that Minzy, Bom and Taehyun were failures in anyway. I am sorry that I do not see any sense in your arguments. I am sorry that Idgaf about ikon, and cl, i mean with the way things are, who’ll be suprised if they, read as he, announced their disbandment next…or after winner’s.I am sorry if this seems rude, but I intended it that way ‘cuz I really have no more patience to spare if you are going to keep hanging on to every word FROM A COMPANY as gospel.

takeitallaway

There’s no need for sarcasm and I have read all your comments through and through as displayed by my replies. I’m not trying to “enlighten” you I’m offering arguments to your claims. That’s what grown people do when they’re having a discussion.
It’s ridiculous you talk about tunnel vision when you’re the one who won’t accept any other opinion apart from the one you already formed.
You don’t actually because you selectively accept what the artists says when it benefits your favs but then accept what the company says again when it benefits your favs. World doesn’t work like that you can’t take everything for granted and project your assumptions about situations as defacto.
I don’t see where I ever claimed either of those 3 people were failures.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens. Nothing lasts for ever. And again no where in my comments have I claimed the company does a good job managing release of music on the contrary I said the exact opposite. Failure in how they manage music releases however has nothing to do with situations we were discussing.
How can you claim I hang onto everything the company says when I wrote I few times passages where I called bs on what the company put out as explanation.
You either have a hard time discussing things logically or you truly have a hard time reading with comprehension. Either way God bless you it was real.

severely

I can’t put my finger quite on what was off about the whole Winner situation, but it always stems from: Winner, as a group, hasn’t been active since about March/April, despite original promises of the entire EXIT album (ala BB’s MADE). Taehyun’s hiatus was announced in October, and suddenly, this hiatus was already too extreme for Winner, a month later? What about the previous eight months of Winner’s inactivity, when Taehyun was not on hiatus? What about the fact that multiple companies have publicly given much longer breaks to their idols — Oh My Girl, U-KISS, and BAP all come to mind — without it signaling their eventual withdrawal… a month later? I definitely feel like there’s something behind the scenes happening, and YG is just doing what they’ve done numerous times: made a scapegoat out of Taehyun, in order to preserve whatever marketability they think they might want from Winner in the future.

Pandabearnanke

Kpop really needs to improve its disbandment procedures. Releasing a press release then the members writing a handwritten note (which is always too damn small on Instagram and you cant enlarge it easily) it just a pathetic way to end popular groups, especially a iconic one like 2NE1. The whole industry is built on getting fans to connect with idols, once they achieve that goal the companies just carelessly throw it away obvlivious to the fans.

Something simple like a farewell Vlive, farewell concert, a simple goodbye song. Why is that so hard? I’d get why idols would find that uncomfortable but its the least they can do for the fans they profess they love so much. It even makes the companies money, so whats the problem? I accept the kpop industry for what it is, warts and all but when people dont make decisions that would both A. Make them money B. Make fans happy it really annoys me. The sheer lack of empathy for your customers.

I’m not familiar with the music industry, neither american nor korean but as a sports fan here’s what’s standard in that industry. A famous athlete retires, there’s a ceremony where dignitaries give speeches, the athlete gets to soak in a long applause from fans, they get some farewell gifts, the athlete gets to give a speech of their own thanking fans, coaches from high school, the owner of the team, etc.

Putting that concept to Kpop and specificially to 2NE1 disbanding. There should’ve been a small gathering where 2NE1, YG, the most noted songwriters/producers, friends & family, 2NE1 fansite operators, maybe even a special guest like Girls Generation or even Blackpink. Girls Generation could’ve said something like “You were always our greatest rival” and brought the house down or Blackpink could’ve said tearily that 2NE1 unnies were what inspired them to be idols in the first place where afterwards there wasn’t a dry eye left in the building. Then Yang Hyun Suk gives a speech and some personal stories on how 2NE1 started out. Finally 2NE1 members give speeches, then YG announces they’re going to be the first inductees in the YG Hall of Fame. This is all livestreamed on Youtube for free to Blackjacks all over the world can share in the experience.

That’s CLOSURE. That’s finality. That gives fans a space to grieve.

SB_Mark

Except for when Lebron left Cleveland. I guess you can compare kpop fans to those heartbroken cavs fans everytime their fav group breaks up.

viki32

i really like your idea.. haha

Mr.Spanky

That would be a fanfic man… even in sports it’s only the long standing teammate or the high profile/star that gets those kinds of retirement parties/events. For others it’s really cold cut, just go to the office and recieve final pay/paperwork… thats it.

namita sankar

This whole thing is such a mess. But I feel like there a lot more going on behind the scenes that just this. With their connections with Choi Soonshil being called to question, I can’t help but think that these announcements were a diversionary tactic. Even so, they are very poor ones.

I believe very strongly that mental illness isn’t something that just appears out of the blue. Of course, being diagnosed with one might take a bit of time, but there is always a reason. That being said, the fact that YG never revealed exactly what was Taehyun’s issue is kind of weird. Did he have anxiety disorder, was he depressed? Insomnia? OCD? ADHD? I mean, if it isn’t something as big and potentially dangerous to him and people around him, he has no reason to be let go of. I was actually applauding YG when they announced his hiatus, though I wasn’t happy that they kind of blamed him for the delay of exit:x. But when the scandal about him and that actress broke out, that’s when things went down. As his managing company, YG never really took the necessary steps. Taehyun wasn’t just ‘another idol under the comapny’, he was an idol who was already suffering. You have no idea how that could’ve affected him, and maybe just worsened his situation. To be honest, like Pat, for me too, Winner is the first groups under YG that I stanned, and he is my bias. So it sucks to see him treated this way.

The 2ne1 disbandment, even though we knew it was coming, was devastating. I am not even a fan, but I was so shocked when I heard the news. It feels like the end of an era. 2ne1 and SNSD were my absolute favorites, if only because of the amount of charisma they possesed. Also I loved the 2ne1 vs SNSD and YG vs SM, drama that used to fuel each comeback. Those were the fun days. 2ne1 really opened doors. In an industry where ‘cutesy’ concepts were dominating (still are kind of), they chose to do the opposite and still managed to be the top. They really had everything going for them. Even with Minzy gone, they could’ve been a decent group and pull good results. Even just a proper send off, one last single, a fanmeet where the girls personally conveyed the news to the world, a concert, just something. 2ne1 deserved so much more that a post on their site. But that’s all wishful thinking now. Also, the fact that Bom kept supporting CL, Dara and BlackPink even though she wasn’t obligated to, and then their letters ‘A choice was made’ it just doesn’t give people closure. I don;t know, BlackPink maybe be good, and have similar concepts, but really, 2ne1 was in a totally different league.

I know YG isn’t YHS alone, he probably ain’t even responsible for all this. I know. But one cannot help but blame him when he makes it seem like he pulls the ropes in YG. He is the one giving all the interviews about the artists, he’s the one who judges on shows. He is the face of the company, and so he is the easiest to blame. Not to mention how he (the company) managed to bring GD and Big Bang to the top despite all the dirt that surrounded them. If even an ounce of that dedication had gone into Winner, or any of the hidden gems in YG. People wouldn’t have been so angry. Also, the argument that there just too many artists in YG is moot, especially since last year (and even more this year with station releases) SM has brought out every one of them…and the solo debuts and all…

find_nothing_here

Honestly YG is a human slimeball so I don’t mind if he gets “unfairly” blamed for some of the shit his undermanagement does.

Shinnokina

he doesn’t manage anything, why can’t people grasp the fact that he is NOT the CEO of YG Entertainment. He is a shareholder and a figurehead for the media.

find_nothing_here

I don’t care.

Shinnokina

Oh great, that’s an argument!

find_nothing_here

Yup. :)

bella smith

As someone who was diagnosed with heavy depression/anxiety, it isn’t something that happens out of no where. Mental illnesses usually occur because of a certain chemical imbalance in the brain. It’s somethings people are born with. It doesn’t make us special because a lot of people have them. But it’s also something to be taken seriously because it literally saved my life and I know it saves a lot of other’s getting proper medication. I really don’t appreciate yg using something like mental illness as a scapegoat. Especially not if that truly was what taehyun was suffering from.

2NE1 was my ultimate girl group from the very beginning. To see them go is really sad, but I hope what most blackjacks can remember is they went out with a bang. “Crush was one of the best kpop albums of 2014.

namita sankar

True…i myself am studying to be a psychologist…so I know how things work a bit. So I don’t think that that is how people are born. Yes, chemical changes do occur, but really having meds is no permenant solution. Mental issues develop with time, and due to circumstances. I really honestly believe no one is born like this. Of course, i could be wrong. Either ways, YG kind of hit an all time low in my eyes, I am never on for anyone putting down such issues. Plus unless it is psychotic, it really is treatable and Taehyung could be the beat again. Like the article says, at a time when the idols are coming forth and being open about this topic, YG’s move is a huge step backwards.

Mary

I couldn’t figure out where to put this, so I decided to dump it here (if that’s fine, lol).
Just this semester I was walking around campus humming 2NE1’s “Ugly”. I have depression and anxiety, and walking around school is just a bitch some days. Having that song to sing just made me feel stronger, capable and GOOD, like “fuck yah, I got this”.
I don’t know anything about company policies or blah blah, but I really hope I get to hear more music like this. I hope artists are kicked down further because of their mental health issues or the other shit that their jobs unfortunately (and shouldn’t) come saddled with. Wish the best for all of 2NE1, Taehyun, and Winner.
And thank you 2NE1.

After Minzy left, it was obvious it was over for 2NE1 too. It was the right thing to end it, would not be the same without her. As a 2NE1 fan it was hard, but I understand the disbanding. But I would like to know what and why Minzy left. CL solo probably killed to group a bit early.

takeitallaway

It’s pretty obvious mental issues are not the reason for Taehyun leaving. I think it’s apparent he wanted to leave for months now and that he didn’t fit into the group and ultimately (at least months prior to him leaving) didn’t care to be in the group.

As far as 2ne1 goes people need to chill with “they didn’t deserve to go like this”. Anyone pretending the group’s death sentence wasn’t signed after Bom’s scandal is kidding themselves. The fact that people talk about YG wanting to see how well BP will fair to disband them is ridiculous. If that was the case YG would have disbanded 21 after BP’s debut. Also insinuating they were waiting for CL’s tour to end because CL wouldn’t have otherwise sold it is fucking funny because CL has been performing venues for 2 years before the tour with similar set-lists, fans who come to her shows are not blackjacks in the fandom sense they do like her and 21 but they would have went even if the disbandment was announced before it. They’re casual kpop fans who would not be bothered by the fact. If she were doing an Asia based tour I’d see the connection but North America fans ain’t about that hardcore kpop fandom life. Well 21 fans that is I ain’t talking boy groups cause that’s a different ballgame.

Fact was something in company happened (witch shareholders probably) spurred by the fact Taehyun wanted to leave that they decided to drop Bom to and cut their loses. Bom was being spotted in the company all summer long, CL stopped her US advancement to come back to SK, also at the same time Bom was being spotted together with CL and Dara and iKON (who were on a tour but came back) Taehyun and Winner were there as was BigBang so there were some meetings going on some decisions being made that resulted with this. Probably shareholders cutting loses with Bom and group, Taehyun deciding to leave and getting green light etc. and “coincidentally” before the end of the year. Some shift happened and as far as we can see from YGe’s stocks rising it was a beneficial strategical business move.

Fans really need to move on and stop dragging other YGe acts into this blaming YG’s favoritism for what had happened when YG himself doesn’t fucking have much power to make decisions like that alone.

Stop saying BP’s successful debut is the reason for 21’s death or CL’s solo career which only happened as a consequence of Bom’s scandal and inevitable group hiatus. CL sacrificed too much of herself for that group already more than any of the other 3.

And for the love of God stop comparing GD smoking a blunt in another country (minimal traces of substance obviously no repeat of the action) with Bom bringing in illegal substance into the country by disguising it as jellybean candy and having her family in on it. I don’t care what it was for she did something illegal willingly and knowingly. Also stop saying YG didn’t handle her scandal right compared to GD. He didn’t do jack shit about GD’s scandal apart from apologize make GD apologize and not be in the public eye for 6 months. With Bom he paid people to keep the shit quiet for 4 years, he defended her by personally writing a letter and inventing a whole story so people would take pity and not attack her, let her finish the tour without going on hiatus straight away, kept her in the company for 2 years during hiatus. What sealed Bom’s destiny was her fans wanting so badly to prove what YG invented that they ended up exposing the entire made up story.

Shinnokina

speculation, speculation, speculation. None of these are facts backed by reliable sources. It’s just the opinion of the writers but written in a manner as if it were solid facts. Nobody knows what happened there and why 2NE1 disbanded. Unless the members themselves speak up and tell, this is just rumours and speculation. Groups come and go, there is nothing extraordinary in disbandment. Most kpop bands disband after their first round of contract terms expire. Only a fraction of bands live past 6-7 years.